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Statement by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) on the Adoption of the UPR Outcome of United States of America UN Human Rights Council 30th Session

Document Date: September 24, 2015

September 24, 2015

Mr. President,

The ACLU welcomes the adoption of the report on the U.S. Universal Periodic Review (UPR).

This report sends a strong message that the United States has failed to meet its human rights obligations and commitments to its people and the international community. The report also provides concrete recommendations on how the United States might rectify this situation. However, the U.S. past record on implementing UN recommendations has been disappointing, and, unfortunately, the recent U.S. UPR responses offer little hope for improvement.

Although the government is to be commended for its active engagement with civil society in the UPR process, that engagement hasn’t translated into any meaningful changes in domestic policies especially those that are out of step with international human rights standards.

Through its support only for those recommendations that call on the U.S. to take action on issues that it is “already taking or have taken, and intend to continue taking” actions, the U.S. is sending a message that the UPR is irrelevant, rather than a process for the United States to reflect on what needs to be done to bring its domestic policies into line with its human rights commitments at the federal, state and local levels.

Mr. President:

Actions speak louder than words. That is especially true for a country that considers itself a global human rights champion.

This is the last major UN review for the Obama administration, and it offers a critical opportunity to shape President Obama’s human rights legacy, especially in the areas of racial and criminal justice, national security, and immigrants’ rights.

The Obama administration has an opportunity to right many wrongs highlighted by civil society and echoed in Member States recommendations including holding accountable those responsible for the CIA torture program, instituting a moratorium on federal death penalty, combating structural racism especially in policing and the criminal justice system and implementing fairer and more humane immigration policies.

The world will be watching to see whether the Obama administration will stand on the right side of history.

Thank you.

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